29 Awesome GTA 5 Easter Eggs

We've already covered Grand Theft Auto V's impressive attention to even the smallest details. It's these little things that make the world feel alive, and compel players to explore even the most unassuming nooks and crannies Los Santos' sprawling world.

But this incredible level of detail has another benefit - it allows the team at Rockstar North to slyly slip in easter eggs and secrets referencing dozens of real-world movies & TV shows, make subtle nods to their own previous works, and even incorporate the supernatural.

The world of GTA 5 is so huge that despite over 10 million players putting in hundreds of millions of hours, new easter eggs are still being discovered.

Below are the the 29 best GTA 5 secrets & easter eggs we've discovered so far. Hit up our GTA 5 wiki for specific instructions on how to find these references for yourself. We've also provided a look at every single one of these easter eggs in this handy video.

The story mission Hood Safari takes players back to Grove Street, the old stomping grounds of GTA: San Andreas protagonist CJ and the rest of the Grove Street Families. A lot has changed over the years, but Rockstar couldn't pass up the opportunity to slyly reference their previous work. Just as you turn onto Grove Street itself you'll see characters that look almost exactly like CJ, Big Smoke and Sweet ride by on bicycles.

In an out-of-the-way spot in the hills behind Los Santos you can find a mansion that's an obvious nod to Hugh Hefner's Playboy mansion. It comes complete with a grotto swimming area and (of course) several topless female party-goers.

Tapdancing Hillbilly

One of our personal favorite easter eggs has to be the tap dancing hillbilly. This reference to the real-world tap dancing hillbilly Jesco White comes complete with its own music and voice acting, living up to Rockstar's incredible reputation for detail.

Master Chief?

You can find Republican Space Ranger street performers that look more than a little bit like Halo's Master Chief near GTA 5's version of the famous Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood.

Sly Borderlands Clap Trap Nod

Oh Rockstar, you sly devils! Some construction sites in GTA 5 have machines that feature the exact same paint job as Borderlands' lovable robot Clap Trap. It's subtle, but unmistakable.

Infamous GTA 4 character Brucie Kibbutz pops up a couple of different times in GTA 5. In a radio segment he can be heard promoting his new performance-enhancing Bullshark Testosterone. There's also an entire in-game website devoted to the performance-enhancing drug. Finally Brucie can also be found in GTA Online.

Drive-Inspired Jacket

A discount store near Trevor's landing strip sells a jacket that's an obvious nod to the one worn by Ryan Gosling in the movie Drive. But it's a friendly crab on the back instead of a much more threatening scorpion.

Almost everyone knows about GTA 5's numerous UFOs by now, but their presumed pilots also make a carefully hidden appearance. In the game's prologue, if you drive under the bridge when making your escape, you can find an actual alien frozen beneath the ice.

UFOs. UFOs Everywhere. Four of Them, to be Exact

So far four confirmed UFOs have been found in GTA 5. The first is crashed underwater, near the northernmost portion of the map. After you achieve 100% completion, three more pop up: one near Sandy Shores, another above Fort Zancudo, and finally one more above Mt. Chiliad, but reportedly only during a thunderstorm.

Speaking of the supernatural, at around 11PM in-game time you can spot the ghost ofJolene Cranley-Evans haunting the top of Mt. Gordo. If you move closer she'll disappear, revealing the name 'Jock' on the ground, seemingly a reference to her suspected killer.

One reference to GTA 4 hero Nico Bellic that many gamers missed - at one point in the story you can see Michael's son Jimmy browsing Nico's LifeInvader page. And yes, Roman is on his friends list.

Lost Hatch?

Deep in the depths of the ocean you can find a mysterious hatch nestled on the ocean floor that looks a heck of a lot like the infamous hatch from LOST. No sign of any smokes monsters (so far), though.

The Mystery 8 Killer is one of GTA 5's more cool and elaborate easter eggs. Graffiti found all over GTA 5's world seems to be left by the killer himself, each creepy sing-songy rhyme leading to yet another clue and hinting at yet another murder. A final message sends players to cellblock 9A in GTA 5's otherwise underutilized prison. A newspaper clipping found near the first clue states that the serial killer died in prison. But did he really?

Collector's Edition Map

The physical map that comes with the Collector's Edition of GTA 5 is itself a big physical easter egg. Exposing it to a black light reveals a variety of hidden messages and map markers, including plenty of UFO hints.

Any awesome little secrets or nods you've discovered? Add them to our GTA 5 secrets and easter eggs wiki! You should also hit-up the wiki for specific locations & instructions for accessing any of these 29 awesome easter eggs.

Justin Davis is the second or third best-looking Editor at IGN. You can follow him on Twitter at @ErrorJustin and on IGN.